Oserian announces student scholarships and job plan

NAIVASHA, Kenya: A fortnight after being crowned the world’s best cut flower grower, Oserian Development Company has announced a series of scholarships for the best students in the schools that they  manage. They are also introducing a new scheme that will prioritise jobs for these students once they leave school.

The new scholarships are available to students from Oserian Primary, Oserian Secondary and Hilltop Academy which provide education for the children of  more than 4,600 workers at Oserian’s flower farm.

“We have started a programme that will fully sponsor the top three children of each of the schools that we run through the next phase of their education. The top  three students in Class Eight will be sponsored throughout their  secondary education and the top three students in high school will be fully sponsored during their university education,” said Mary Kinyua, the Director of Human Resources and Administration at Oserian who was speaking at one of the schools’ thanksgiving ceremony.

To create further opportunities for students in the job market, Oserian has announced that it will give priority to students who have passed through its schools to work in their farm.

“We want all the Oserian students to have an opportunity to interview for jobs in the farm and be part of realising the Oserian dream,” Ms. Kinyua added.

This new development is the latest in the flower farm’s increased investment in education following the announcement of new computer courses for 1,400 students earlier this year aimed at deepening students’ IT skills. The company has also initiated a Ksh 13 million school meals programme where pupils enjoy a cup of nutritious porridge for breakfast and food for lunch.

Late last year, Oserian constructed a new building to accommodate eight classes in preparation for an expected  increase in student numbers as the firm’s industrial park takes shape. It is expected that the number of people living in the Oserian village will surge to about 20,000 from the current 11,000 as investors take up space at the business park.

Education is a key pillar of Oserian’s ‘Flowers for Schools’ support programme. Others priority concerns are foods security, health and nature.

Photo: Students and teachers of Hill Top Academy, one of the schools managed by Oserian during a thanksgiving ceremony.